Retirement, here I come

( Bandit Crabtree)

Yes, you read that title right. After nearly 30 years in the pet business, I'm retiring. It's time, in some ways, it's beyond time. My health and my back have gotten to the point that I feel I have to quit before it gets any worse, but I'm ready, I really am. I've thought about it long and hard and yes, I am indeed ready to retire.

(Rio Jackson)

I can't complain, I have been very successful in this business. It has provided for me and for my son, I've met some wonderful people and some wonderful little dogs, I've made life-long friends that, if it weren't for grooming, I would never have known. That's the upside. The downside.......

(Pepper Malcolm)

I am in constant pain, I have discs in my back that are nearly gone. I have scars from bites and scratches, I have carpal tunnel, and a couple of nerves in my hands that just plain don't work anymore from being bitten. Most days, I can hardly move by the time I finish working, much less think about doing anything beyond working when I finish my day. I go to bed in pain and I wake up in pain and it's taking it's toll on everything I do. Grooming is not "playing with little puppies all day" It's extremely hard work and trust me, after this many years in the business, I can tell what it's done to me, physically. I would wager, if you ask any groomer that has been in the business for 15 or more years, they will tell you the same thing. I KNOW they would, 75% of my friends are life long groomers and they DO tell me that.!

(Misty & Josie Jones)

My friend, Paul and I (who has been grooming for almost 35 years now) have always joked that someone will probably have to push our wheelchairs to the table and put the scissors in our hands before it's all said and done. We've been saying that for years, but I honestly don't want it to be true. :) From the looks of things, if I keep pushing myself like this, it WILL be true and how scary is that??

( Honey Harry)

So, after talking all this over with my DH, we have decided, the time has come. If I am going to have any quality of life at all, I HAVE to. I will be doing this slowly at first. I'm not going to just stop all at once, I will be phasing out so to speak. Letters will begin going out next week.

(Ginger Patrick)

I won't just leave everyone hanging without a groomer. I will be sending out a recommendation, along with an index card with the information their next groomer will need in order to give the dogs the same clip I have been giving them. All you have to do is take the card with you to your first appointment and they should know how I have been grooming your pet and what clip you are used to getting.

I am recommending my sister, Linda. I taught her to groom over 15 years ago and she is wonderful with the dogs. She won't mistreat them and since I taught her to groom, her technique is the closest to mine that you will be able to find in this area. She is good to the dogs and she knows what she is doing. She's located in Bristol, VA and her shop is called Family Pet Grooming. You can find her in the phone book. Or you can contact me for her information. (I'm reluctant to put her number and address in here for all the world to see) At any rate, she is the only one I would recommend AND she grooms cats too.

(Baby Evans)

I want to thank all of you who have trusted me with your babies. Thank you for letting me enjoy them and for sharing them with me. Thank you for your friendship over the years and for making my career a successful one. I will never forget the joy some of those little kids have brought me. Don't worry about me "missing it" remember, I have enough of my own kids that need grooming to keep my hands in it. :)

I am looking forward to the next phase in my life, spending quality time with DH, working with my show dogs, working on our new house, working on stained glass projects and just plain enjoying life surrounded my the loves of my life. I will continue to post in this blog, after all, I will still be alive and doing things, just not grooming. So be sure to keep my blog in your favorites and see what all we have been up to.

(All of the kids in this post have gone to the Rainbow Bridge. They are just a few of the ones I miss and will miss.)

Back pain & Stained glass

(silly little ice cream cone suncatcher I did for practice)

I started working in stained glass over 20 years ago and I have recently gotten back into it. I had forgotten how much I love doing this. I also didn't realize how much the cost of supplies had gone up! WOW! Talk about inflation!
I have Degenerative Disc Disease. I have 2 discs that, according to the Dr, might as well just be labeled as "gone" and one that is half-way there. On top of that, I have arthritis running the entire length of my spine. Not good news for a dog groomer. 28 years of standing, lifting, pulling, tugging and fighting with big dogs, combined with the genetic factors have finally begun to take their toll on me and made me begin thinking of another way to make money. I hope to be able to open an Etsy shop soon.
As much as I hate to admit it, I am slowing down, I can't do what I used to be able to do, I am in constant pain whether I am grooming or not, grooming just makes the pain more intense. Some days are worse than others.
Anyway, I decided to begin my stained glass work again. I am currently working on trophies for my home club, The Greater Kingsport Kennel Club. We have shows each year in May and we always try to come up with something different each year for trophies. This year we decided to give stained glass pieces.
I'm pretty excited about getting started and I'll be sure to take lots of pictures as I go along.
I have done a few pieces for other things, mostly dog-related, but mainly just for fun. I'm certainly out of practice, but it's like riding a bicycle, it all comes back to you once you get on and get started.

(suncatcher I did for the Silent Auction for Rescue at the Bull Terrier Nationals)

Wish me luck, and keep your fingers crossed that all those panes of glass I ordered last night get here in one piece, not in a ton of pieces. The company will replace them if they do arrive broken, but that would mean the whole process will be running behind.

(The Rainbow Bridge Tissue Box)(Best of Variety (Colored) trophy for one of the shows)

I'm sorry some of the photos are not that great, the flash is hard to contain sometimes. The tissue box was certainly a project. I had never done one before, but I was determined to get it finished in time for the Nationals so it could be put on the Rainbow Bridge table!

Until next time,
Bullie hugs and kisses all around,